The MBTA announced Friday that the work being done along the Orange Line during the ongoing 30-day shutdown is 50% complete.
The project is on schedule, the transportation agency said.
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Overall, work teams have completed 44% of scheduled rail replacement, 49% of track renewal and tie replacement, 84% of special track work and 22% of rail fastener work.
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MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said during an update Friday that the Orange Line is on track to reopen as scheduled on Sept. 19.
"We are on day 14 of the 30-day shutdown in service and work is very much underway and progressing as planned. We are looking forward to Labor Day and turning that corner as we enter the home stretch," he said.
Poftak said the T is preparing for possible increased traffic next week after the Labor Day holiday as well as for the start of the school year for Boston Public Schools on Sept. 8. A new rider's guide has even been created specifically for students, he said.
"We look forward to serving these customers," he added. "We're ready."
Poftak said there were some challenges during college move-in week, but they were able to get through it without any major issues.
"We do expect an increase in ridership on the Commuter Rail after Labor Day," he said. "We'll be providing additional service on the southside leg of the journey on the Commuter Rail. We're going to be adding additional capacity there. Additional trains will be stopping at those stations so customers will have more opportunities."
Poftak also said work on the Green Line is also ongoing and is "progressing well."
